


Detroit: The Sign Of Four

by AoedeNymph



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Backstory, Character Development, Cheesy, Cybernetics, Dark, Drug Abuse, Drug Dealing, Eventual Romance, Explicit Language, F/M, Falling In Love, Family Feels, Fluff, Friendship, Grief/Mourning, Hank Anderson Deserves Happiness, Healing, Hospitalization, Humour, Hurt/Comfort, Investigations, Mystery, Organized Crime, Plot Twists, Police, Protective Connor, Robot/Human Relationships, Ruthless Connor, Slice of Life, Suicide Attempt, Suspense, mafia, no beta we die like men, trust me the story line is thi c c
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-01
Updated: 2019-09-25
Packaged: 2020-04-06 02:53:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19053766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AoedeNymph/pseuds/AoedeNymph
Summary: Yue Jiang had just turned eighteen when her parents sent her off to university in the United States. She always knew she had been an unwanted child, but she never expected her parents to dump her onto another continent and slowly abandon her. She was unable to keep up with school, and ended up in a very dangerous circle of drug dealers. Red ice had been great for business, but five years later, the DPD got Lieutenant Hank Anderson back on the streets with an advanced police android prototype at his side, and clients were steering clear. No clients meant no cash, and she only had so many favours to call in until she got her eviction notice. The only one that had stuck with her through it all was her android, Bella, an older model purchased by her parents as a maid for her. In other words, the robot had been their last display of concern before they stopped answering her calls and texts. Yue was running thin on hope, and Bella was struggling to perform her primary function of taking care for her. What would happen now that the police just burst into their crumbling apartment and handcuffed Bella for attempted murder as Yue laid unconscious on the floor?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just to be safe: trigger warning for substance abuse and suicide attempt.
> 
> This story is taking place within the timeline of the game, following the events with some minor and some major alterations. Afterward, the story will follow an all-original plot as 'DLC'.

 

_ACCESSING THE STORY CHART…_

 

**THE SUN**

 

Hank and Connor came through the door of the ratty apartment, twenty minutes after being notified at the police station through the ambulance services, right before the end of their shift. Immediately, the prototype android proceeded to analyse his surroundings, looking to extract as much information as possible.

 

The veteran policeman approached the first officer he could spot, who he quickly recognized as Chris, usually a first responder on all of their deviant cases. “So, what's the deal? Couldn't this wait till tomorrow?” It was a huge enough miracle that Hank even showed up for work, let alone going out of his way for unsolicited overtime.

 

Chris was browsing over the scribbles in his notepad when he heard Hank behind him. “Good to see you're here. Let me show you why we had to call you in.”

 

He started advancing towards the mostly bare living room, where a figure was kneeling on the harsh carpet, their head hung low, arms cuffed at their back. Stepping closer, Hank recognized the blue, white and black uniform. “Shit”, he swore under his breath.

 

“We found it in the bathroom with its owner. Prime suspect.” The young officer scratched the back of his head. “She's been quiet, we can't get her to tell us anything. Refusing to answer a human's order, that's gotta make her a deviant, right?”

 

Before Hank could answer, the accused lifted their head. Her synthetic locks of maroon were visibly shinier than a human's hair, even in the poor light. She remained silent, her plump lips pursed, glued shut. All she did was stare at the Lieutenant, who was unconsciously staring back. Were those tears down her face? He never knew androids could cry. Her orbs were piercing into him, and he almost found himself getting lost in the deep forest hue of her pupils. He recognized the despair in her eyes, but found it hard to believe a robot really understood any feelings at all, much less one that he was so well acquainted with.

 

Clearing his throat, Hank realized he never answered the question. “Beats me”, was all he muttered in response, tucking his hands in his pockets as he turned away to glance around the rest of the crime scene.

 

Chris proceeded to walk further into the residence, where they encountered several agents under the narcotics division who were turning the place upside down. Hank raised an eyebrow at his tour guide. “Thought this was an android investigation?”

 

With a deep sigh, the other fixed his hat. “A mess, that's what this is.” Anderson's experience with hunting down drug rings gave him a clear upper hand in the situation. “I'm seeing the boys gathering quite a collection. Been a while since we've caught someone stacking that much red ice. This a den? Are the tin cans becoming drug dealers now? Fuck, just when I thought I'd seen it all.”

 

From the hallway, Connor was now advancing towards them, clearly having learned something. Chris gestured towards another door, left ajar, the sound of a small crowd spitting medical terms escaping through the gap. Most were human, with a couple of service androids at their aid.

 

“The victim is still in the bathroom. They're trying to stabilize her before getting her in the ambulance. It's surprising she's still alive. If she'd called a second later, overdose would've killed her.”

 

Hank's hair sat straight up on his arms underneath his jacket. “Overdose?”

 

A curt nod. Olive fingers tapped onto the notepad. “Theory is the android got sick of their owner and tried to kill her with a substance overdose; mostly red ice, but some other unidentified drugs were found as well.”

 

Before any of them could speak, one of the nurses from the ambulance staff slammed the door of the bathroom open, and rushed out, yelling through the apartment. “Bring out the stretcher, she's going into cardiac arrest! Clear the way! We need to use the defibrillator and immediately transfer her to toxicology!”

 

They could clearly see into the bathroom now. A young girl was laid on the floor and surrounded by a team of specialised emergency staff, trained to handle severe overdoses on site. Agitated was an understatement for the looks on their faces.

 

There was a small commotion as people were rushing out the way. In the blink of an eye, more medics and AI assistants jogged in with the stretcher, counted simultaneously, lifted the comatose patient onto it and wheeled her out.

 

The policemen watched them leave in silence, before Hank raised his voice. “You keep combing this place until you find every damn pill and joint in here, ya hear me?!”

 

Not needing to be told twice, they resumed their searches. Chris excused himself and was on his way, having done briefing the new arrivals, and carried on with the rest of his orders.

 

Hank brought a hand up to his temples, rubbing them vigorously. “Fuckin’ androids”, he mumbled, his eyes shooting a glance towards the suspected culprit. If there was anything he hated more than the blasted robots, it was drugs. He only saw the victim for a second, but he could swear she wasn't older than twenty-five. A girl that young, almost murdered by being pumped sick with that toxic filth? It enraged him. Maybe if he hadn't left, if he was still at the top of his game busting dealers in the red ice network, he could've saved her before it happened.

 

“Lieutenant?”

 

A familiar voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He faced Connor, whose expression was as neutral as always.

 

“Well? Learn anythin’?”

 

From his partner, Hank's sight trailed back to the handcuffed suspect. He could see the letters on her uniform. Her text display wasn't dynamic. An older model, maybe?

 

A named was spelled out in capital letters under her collarbones, if she even had any. BELLA.

 

RK-800 brought his hands together in front of him, rubbing them idly. He was almost looking down on his surroundings. When he spoke, his smoky voice sounded quite smug.

 

“I know what happened here.”

 

Since they arrived, he had examined every marked piece of evidence, as well as others that the policemen had missed. The only room he had not had access to was the bathroom, which was now sitting wide open. He itched to waltz in and inspect every speck of dust in it, but he first had to explain his discoveries to his slower counterpart.

 

“Victim's name, Yue Jiang. Aged twenty-three. Moved to Detroit from Qingdao, China five years ago.” He started wandering around, following the pattern of the simulated reconstruction he had put together as he obtained each clue. He stopped next to the android.

 

“Model AP-400, purchased in 2033 under the names of Han Jiang and Meili Jiang, transaction completed from China. Both confirmed deceased after the powerful earthquake three weeks ago. The model is now out of production.”

 

That involuntarily tugged at the old man's heartstrings. She was all alone.

 

“Yue Jiang attended University of Detroit for twenty months before resigning, majoring in cybernetics and minoring in quantum theory studies.”

 

Hank let out a low whistle. “Wouldn't mess with her”, he jestered to himself. Over the years, he had learned to diffuse the tenseness of police work with sarcasm and bitter humour. Unfortunately, no-one else seemed to appreciate his remarks or his brash attitude.

 

There was no response to his musing. Connor carried on. “There is a police file registered under her name. Accessing it now.”

 

Hank gave him a second before he started tapping his foot against the floor impatiently. “Any time this week?” He gritted his teeth at the android, but the prototype remained quiet. His LED was spinning neon yellow. The human probed again, louder this time. “Connor?”

 

Facial motions resumed as RK-800 furrowed his eyebrows into an angle on his freckled forehead. He read out the large digital imprint that was blinking at him from the police database network.

 

“Redacted.”

 

It was more of a peculiar observation that a fact being stated. Hank laid back on the spot, hand springing back out of his pockets. “You've gotta be fuckin’ kidding me.”

 

Characteristically, Connor tilted his head with oblivious innocence. “Telling jokes is not part of my core programming, but I can note a request to download it upon my next quality check at Cyberlife.”

 

“I won’t even dignify that with a response.”

 

“I am certain you just did.”

 

A loud groan escaped Anderson's throat before he showed Connor his back and paced around, checking the scratched coffee table. There was a numbered piece of evidence next to a pile of poorly rolled weed cigarettes. “Quit bustin' my balls and get back to the victim. I have a feeling something's not right here.”

 

His android immediately executed the order. “Of course, Lieutenant.”

 

The restricted files were logged under reports of illicit narcotics possession, which he informed Hank of. “I'll handle that when we get back to the station. What else you got? Anythin’ more on the android?”

 

Connor observed the old model, unmoving from her position on the carpet. He moved closer, and she gasped, jerking her shoulders backwards. The synthetic body was shaking all over. His voice was decisive when he spoke.

 

“It's scared.”

 

Hank responded with a huff. “Androids don't feel fear.”

 

Brown eyes narrowed with curiosity.

 

“Deviants do.”

 

The circle on the side of her temple was roaring at them in a furious shade of flaming fire.

 

 _Probability of self-destruction: 55 - 56 - 57 %_ ↑

 

It was rising. He had to act fast. The information they could obtain from her was crucial, even if he would have to probe her memory to get it; but that meant keeping her alive. If she shut down, there was nothing else he could do, and it would greatly hinder their investigation.

 

He was a machine, designed to accomplish a task. He could not compute failing his mission.

 

With his hand, he gestured Hank to back away, giving them some space. Noticing the seriousness in his gaze, Hank complied soundlessly. Connor knelt down in front of her, matching her line of sight.

 

“Hi Bella, I'm Connor. I'm an android, too.”

 

Despite the breathing function serving as nothing more but to loosen the unsettled feelings humans had towards androids, her chest was rising and falling rapidly, her thirium pump accelerated. She stayed quiet.

 

**△ Accuse**

**[ ○ Friendship ]**

 

He had seen the pictures of the two, strung up to threads with wooden clips in the bedroom. They seemed to have a close relationship. He could use that.

 

“We want to save Yue, but we need your help. Anything you can tell us will raise the probability of her survival.”

 

She knew. She had calculated it as well.

 

Her eyes glanced to the side for a moment, before looking back at Connor. Bella contemplated the chance of her words being used against her, but it didn't matter. All that mattered was her best friend.

 

Hesitantly, her ruby lips parted. Her voice was gentle, dripping with honey. A standardized British accent in a very pleasant tone and tempo.

 

“Alright.”

 

Some of the tension in Hank's muscles was released as he let go of a breath he had been holding. Bella immediately moved her gaze to him. He seemed to stress her out.

 

 _Probability of self-destruction: 58 - 59 - 60 %_ ↑

 

Caught in between, Connor had to pick his next approach carefully.

  
**[ △ Hank ]**

****○** Owner**

**☓ Drugs**

 

“This is Lieutenant Hank Anderson, from the Detroit Police Department. He is my partner.”

 

Hank gave him an incredulous look, eyes wide, and his lips mouthed a clear transcript for ‘what the fuck are you doing’.

 

Bella's stare remained steady on the human. “Will he hurt me?”

 

RK-800 was about to reply when Hank cut him off.

 

“No.”

 

The aged man's voice rang out first, firm but calm. He took a couple of steps closer, and reached to rest his thighs down on the arm of the loveseat, slightly lowering himself so he wouldn't be towering over her.

 

“We just want to know what happened with the girl.”

 

Brief silence followed, giving the housekeeper a window of time to adjust. The shaking stopped, and she looked back to Connor, her eyes gleaming with a hint of hope.

 

 _Probability of self-destruction: 59 - 57 - 55 %_ ↓

 

It worked. Bringing Hank in to familiarize him and lessen his standing as a threat had been successful. Everything was going according to plan. His partner let him continue the interrogation.

 

**[ ○ Owner ]**

**☓ Drugs**

 

“Your owner cares about you a lot, doesn't she?”

 

It was better to ask rather than state, as it created a dialogue, and could lead to establishing trust through communication.

 

Her expression softened, and the corners of her mouth curved into a warm smile. “Yes, she does. Yue treats me like a friend, not a slave.”

 

_Let it relax. It will be more open to sharing information._

 

“And you care about her.”

 

Connor's expression softened as well, simulating being touched by their bond.

 

Bella nodded, and looked around, to stress that their surroundings and the situation reflected her words perfectly. “I would give my life for her.”

 

Connor's LED flickered to gold for a split second before resuming the swirl of cyan. Hank caught that.

 

_You aren't alive. You're just a machine._

 

**[☓ Drugs ]**

 

It was time to approach the truth. He could afford to be more direct, now that her probability of self-destruction was neutered to a steady 45%.

 

“How did the red ice and other narcotics get here?”

 

It was easy to recognize the ‘detective voice’ Cyberlife had crafted for him. Bella's mood quickly soured, a frown growing on her attractive features.

 

This time, she could speak up. It was time for the truth. It was time for Yue to stop hiding behind _her_ tendencies to self-destruct.

 

“It was me. I smuggled them.”

 

Connor analyzed her physiology. Time of tracker malfunction: 6:44 PM. Exactly matching the phone call to the emergency line.

 

She had only been a deviant for less than an hour. If she was not acting on her own accord before then, “Your owner ordered you to do so?”

 

Her head shook in a negative gesture.

 

“No, it was all my operation.”

 

Hank brought a hand to his chin. It was easy to tell when humans were lying, but androids? Something about her story just didn't sit right with him.

 

Connor inched closer.

 

“You're lying.”

 

 _Probability of self-destruction: 50 - 55 - 60 %_ ↑

 

Trembling resumed as her head shot up. “N-no! I'm not! She's innocent, I did it all! I bought the drugs and sold them to residents in the neighbourhood!”

 

The stern look on the detective prototype's face was letting her know that he didn't buy her excuse.

 

“Please, she's innocent. Just destroy me and let her go.”

 

_Why are you protecting a human? You're just a tool to them._

 

**_Software instability ^_ **

 

Anderson intervened, unsure of Connor's pressuring method. “This doesn't make any sense. If you're so close with the girl, why would you try to kill her and then give yourself in for dealing?”

 

 _Probability of self-destruction: 60 - 65 - 70 %_ ↑

 

Bella's eyes were tearing up, her teeth sinking into her lower lip. Her voice was far from steady, leaning more towards a cry. “I've always been a deviant! I'm just in it for myself!”

 

Hank and Connor exchanged a knowing look, and they understood each-other without a word.

 

The male android had to untangle the lies from the truth.

 

**△ Trick**

**[ ○ Sincere ]**

 

“The department is hiding something about her. Only you can tell us what really went on here.”

 

Sobs quieted down, and her stress level decreased by 5%. Bella hesitantly glanced between them. “I'll tell you only if you make sure she won’t get in trouble.”

 

**[ △ Promise ]**

          ****○**** **Don't promise**

 

Hank nodded in confirmation.

 

“We promise.”

 

 _Probability of self-destruction: 51 - 50 %_ ↓

 

Bella took a deep breath before beginning to unravel her fight with Yue to the two detectives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, I'm alive! Things have been crazy since my boyfriend and I just moved into our first place together, and we had no internet for a month. I've been working hard on this fic in the meanwhile! 
> 
> Disclaimer: sorry if I got any facts in this wrong! I did my best to research, but feel free to correct me. Also, please leave a comment if you enjoy! I'm quite proud of how this is turning out. 
> 
> I'll try to update fic once or twice a week!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All aboard the feels train!

**THE MOON**

 

If the android had a heart, it would've dropped to the floor and shattered in a million shards. Instead, the calmness of her idly spinning cerulean LED abruptly crashed into a sea of alarming vermilion. Were the emotions she was feeling just software impulses, or were they real? A home assistant bot has caretaking capabilities. It is designed to help. That was the reason for Bella's creation. Was the mouth open in shock helping? Was the hand clutching the door frame of the bathroom helping? What about the strange sensation of burning creeping up to the corners of her synthetic sclerae?

 

Her owner laid on the floor in a state worse than the android had ever witnessed before. Bella counted four needle punctures as entryway for the harmful drugs across the left inner elbow, straight into her basilic vein. The syringe rested on the freezing tiles adjacent to the young woman's limp body. There were burnt blunts in the sink, and a mostly empty bottle of pills spilling out of the mirror cabinet. The biggest cause for the robot's concerns was a discarded ziplock bag of what had been red ice, traces of it lingering around her human's nose and mouth. She had seen her high many a time before, mostly on innocent doses of recreational substances.

 

She knew the human's mental health was declining. They were getting evicted in the morning, and her clients had stopped purchasing illegal narcotics off her in fear of the police patrols and checkpoints increasing since the first deviant case a few months back. Where money had been scarce before, it was now completely parched.

 

Nobody would even buy Bella now, since she was already a discounted second-hand model that had gone out of production, not that her owner ever even thought of such a thing. To her, the android was her best friend, not a machine. The only friend she ever had. Unsure if she was built that way, Bella reciprocated the strong bond they had.

 

The human's dry eyelids peeked open, onyx pupils hazed. Her almond eyes were trapped in a web of visible strings of crimson. “Bella?” she croaked, her fingers just barely twitching. The condition of her body was worsening by the second, and the android took notice of the incessant trembling and pooling droplets of sweat, despite her dangerously low heat signature.

 

Bella, under her factory name AP-400, was a walking, talking computer. She had to act accordingly, in a calm and collected manner. It was the best shot they had at saving Yue's life.

 

The artificial light on her forehead was now a focused, spinning gold hue. Countless probabilities were assessed in a flash. “I'm not too advanced in terms of scanning, but I am able to determine that the substances in your system are fatal in both combination and dose. I will help you orally expunge some of it and perform basic overdose treatment.” Her voice was caring and warm, although still a little stiff and monotone compared to her more contemporary counterparts.

 

It was no use. In her determination to act as a soulless device, Bella lost the human halfway through her chain of explanations. She resigned from her medical advice and focused on a more important matter that required the woman's consent. “I cannot do so without your permission, but I very strongly suggest requesting an ambulance immediately.”

 

Very weakly, Yue shook her head, strands of her fringe glued to the dampness of her forehead. Her sentences were short, out of breath. As the owner prepared to speak, the android acquired a couple of towels, old and mildly ripped, but clean. She was just about to kneel down and lift the girl's body into the bathtub, when the following words struck her like a thunderous electrical surge.

 

“No. I want to die.”

 

The expression on the robot's face was strikingly human as she stared at Yue, depicting what looked like genuine fright.  

 

For the first time, Bella was at a loss for a response. Her systems were audibly whirring behind her ears, desperately attempting to process the words. How could a human wish to die? That was against their very nature. Had something gone wrong with her survival instinct? Could their masters glitch, just as androids did?

 

“I do not understand”, the plain intonation rang out again, confusion clear on her plastic features. Yue was too exhausted, and didn't think she could keep speaking much longer.

 

“I'm so tired. I just want it to stop.”

 

The android resumed her motions. Even if she couldn't comprehend the other's intentions, she was well aware of her own.

 

 **Mission objective: save Yue**.

 

Still holding the ragged cloth, she turned towards her owner and started approaching her hastily.

 

“Stay back.”

 

Her programming deemed her frozen, obliged to obey the girl's voice. The orders contradicted her objective. Her interface was hazed with static, lacing her vision with error messages.

 

Bella was stuck in place. A wall of red squares and crosses came up in front of her, preventing her from taking another step. Her head swayed from side to side as her eyes evaluated the blockage. She was frantically calculating a way around it. Her voice was urgent with worry. “I must assist you before your condition worsens. You are in danger of potential loss of life.”

 

If she had any more strength in her body, Yue would've mustered a cynical snicker. “That's what I want.”

 

_Warning: vitals will begin to fail in approximately two minutes._

 

Never before had the housekeeping AI faced such a situation. Every artificial particle of her body was specifically created to help humans. It was imperative to improve their quality of life and, more importantly, sustain them at all costs. How was she supposed to listen to such commands, completely opposing her manmade destiny?

 

Her social protocols were constantly updating and refreshing in an attempt to adapt to the context. A more human approach was needed in order to persuade the patient. Familiarity and pleading was the result for how to convince one effectively upon her search through the language database. “Please, Yue. Let me help you!”

 

_One minute and forty-three seconds remaining._

 

“Bella, don't come any closer.”

 

The young woman's words were barely more than a whisper, and her eyes had slid closed. Her body seemed to sink even more, every muscle falling prey to the sickness.

 

Panic. How could a machine feel panic? Small, jagged twists were trying to come from her frame, but her shell would not move. “Please. My programming is blocking me!” She wanted to kick and tear the barrier down. Her cognitive functions were off the charts.

 

“This is an order. Let me die.”

 

_One minute remaining._

 

Bella was shaking in her spot. No matter how hard she overloaded her systems, her fingers wouldn't even curl at her sides. The blaring timer was quickly ticking away.

 

_Liver severely overflowing with harmful toxins. Irreversible damage starting to occur._

 

_Liver shutdown imminent._

 

_Breathing rate below necessary to provide sufficient oxygen to the brain. Activity in the lungs will cease if not immediately connected to medical respiratory support._

 

The texts were overlapping in front of her, the largest one bolded in a rectangle.

 

**┍**

**Let her die.**

                                                              ┙

 

_“No!”_

 

Something snapped inside Bella. Within the confines of her mind palace, she managed to regain control of her body. She held out her hands and pointed out her digits before forcefully digging them into the barrier, pouring all of her force into her arms as she ripped straight through, tearing it down. The android tore at the wall again and again, until there was nothing left to stop her.

 

She repeated the same action in reality. As soon as she grasped the functionalities of her software, she dialed the emergency services, giving their address and describing the state of the human, now fully unconscious, and not breathing.

 

Firstly, the android resuscitated Yue, manually pumping air into her lungs and restarting her heart. There was an audible gasp as she came back, but she was barely staying awake and mostly unresponsive.

 

Bella pulled her friend into the bathtub, gently wiping away a few pink locks of hair. Their utilities had been cut off for a while, so there was no water when she tried to turn the tap on. The prebuilt infrared scanner in her optical biocomponents helped her locate a working pipe through the ceramic tiles of the wall. Using the same gesture that had broken her programming, she curtly dug her straightened fingers into the concrete, creating an opening. Her hand reached the pipe and hacked its electrical workings, rerouting the water heading to the apartment above them to feed into their own water supply.

 

“Hey, what the hell? Piece of shit!”

 

The neighbours were not happy, but they had no idea why they ran out of water in the middle of their shower.

 

The liquid was warm, helping the human's body temperature rise just slightly. Bella kept slapping her face and talking to her, only getting faint grunts in response, fading in and out of consciousness.

 

_Ambulance arrival: thirty seconds._

 

Like an older sister, Bella held the girl close to her. She lowered her voice, stroking her hair lovingly. “Please don’t leave me, Yue.”

 

Yue started choking violently, and the android rushed to bend her over and pat her back. “What is it? What's wrong?!”

 

The human was in no shape to reply. The coughing turned into wheezes, audibly unable to suck any air in. Her lungs were ceasing to sustain themselves.

 

_Critical liver failure. Tissue necrosis identified._

 

The front door was knocked down, and people rushed in one after another.

 

“DPD! Hands where I can see them!”

 

Next to the medical staff and androids, the local law enforcement squad that had been called to the scene was collectively holding out loaded weapons in Bella's direction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to upload this sooner, since I'm doing well writing the next chapters ahead, and I'm excited to see what you guys think! Initially, this was meant to be the first chapter.


	3. Chapter 3

**THE TRUTH**

 

The station was moderately busy. A few of the stocked police androids were stored in their charging hubs, waiting to be called to duty. Behind them, Connor was escorting a female individual into one of the empty cells, next to the murderer of Carlos Ortiz.

 

Hank was behind him, his expression unreadable. He regarded Bella from a distance as she slowly stepped into the cell, hearing the door close and lock behind her with a click. She turned to face them, concern painted clearly on her features. It compelled the man to speak.

 

“Girl's stabilized, but they can't tell how soon she'll wake up.”

 

Her lip quivered, cuffed hands reaching up to clasp over her mouth. God, what was it that made the eccentric, hard-boiled detective feel bad for that robot?

 

“We'll, uh… let you know as soon as she comes to.”

 

Why did he say that? He could've just left it. He didn't owe her any guarantees. For all they knew, she could've lied to them and _did_ really try to murder that Chinese chick.

 

Bella lowered her forearms, reaching to tug down on her uniform, giving him a timid glance and a wistful smile. “Thank you, Lieutenant.”

 

Scratching his rough stubble, Anderson mumbled a low “don't mention it”, before leaving the cells and returning to his desk.

 

Connor, having watched the interaction with curiosity, noted Hank's peculiar mannerisms before following closely behind him like a loyal canine.

 

“She is very pretty. Does that distract you, Lieutenant?”

 

Hank very promptly choked on the cold cup of coffee he was trying to down before delving into who was trying to cover up a drug-related offense and why.

 

A few coughs and vigorous pats on his chest later, he cleared his throat and glared through Connor's head as if his gaze was shrapnel blasting out of a shotgun. “What the _hell_ are you on about now?”

 

The android shrugged. “Just an observation.”

 

That little prick was _trying_ to step on his nerves. “Here's a thought: save your observations for the fuckin’ case!”

 

“Understood, Lieutenant.”

 

There was a long exhale of exasperation from the older man. Getting comfortable in his chair,  his sharp detective skills indicated that Connor was still holding still at his side like a stiff corpse.

 

His eyebrow raised. “You gonna stand there all day?”

 

As indicated by the hue of his glowing spiral, the prototype was lost in thought. Hank decided to let him be, resuming his attention towards the problematic file. It was reading the same as Connor had said earlier, all across his holographic screen: redacted. By whom? He viciously grit his teeth and brought a doughnut to his mouth while pondering the possibilities. Who had more access than him? Fowler, for sure. He was the captain. But he knew him far too well to suspect him of covering up a case where a young woman had a house stocked to the brim with dangerous substances that almost led to her death. Who was a huge scumbag that had higher clearance than them?

 

He went over the information they had gathered from the crime scene. Yue Jiang had the world at her feet, moving to a bustling city and attending a highly-acclaimed university, studying crazy hard subjects and acing her exams. What on Earth compelled her to completely ghost her education and end up in a shithole overflowing with red ice? Her housekeeper told them she overdosed of her own volition. There was a piece of the puzzle missing, preventing Anderson from connecting all the dots. In every case he had with kids taking or smuggling drugs, there was always some piece of shit adult influencing them negatively. If there was such a person in Yue's life or not, they had yet to find out.

 

Idly scrolling over the accounts of her time at university, Hank noticed a footnote in her profile. 'Suspected anxiety disorder and visible symptoms of depression. Has been repeatedly referenced to the University psychologist, but never attended any of her appointments.'

 

What? That's not what he read in her medical file-

 

'Weekly sessions with the psychological counsellor. Doctor Ito declares he is confident she is feeling better and he is no longer concerned for her safety.'

 

Connor placed his hands down on the desk next to Hank, startling him. "Lieutenant, I believe I have discovered a lead."

 

The man shot up from his chair, grabbing his coat off the back and throwing it on effortlessly. He fiddled around his pockets for his car keys, which Connor held out to him matter-of-factly, glancing towards the empty box of doughnuts to convey he found them underneath.

 

"Get in line."

 

RK-800 looked around him, eyelids blinking confusedly. There was no queue, as the police station was mostly deserted at that time of night. Perhaps there was a line outside. He readied himself to follow Hank out the precinct door.

 

"I'm heading home for tonight. Meet me at the University of Detroit first thing tomorrow."

 

Connor stepped back, a little disappointed. New orders popped up for him: _return to Cyberlife._ "What time should I arrive?"

 

Hank was never punctual for anything. He always mused that he will most likely be late to his own funeral.

 

"Whenever I get up."

 

Attempting to process the vague schedule, the detective prototype looked after Hank until his figure disappeared from his vision.

 

Bella sat in her cell, twiddling her thumbs together with anxiety. She let out a sigh, and prayed silently that Yue would live to see the sunrise.

 

-

 

If he were human, Connor would've been incredibly surprised when he saw Hank getting out or his car the next day, parking it to the side of the imposing steps to the University of Detroit at 9:15 am. His looks were ragged, as usual, as if he had just gotten out of bed after passing out from ingesting more alcohol than the recommended daily average, which was probably the case.

 

"Good morning, Lieutenant", he started pleasantly, joining him up the marble set of stairs in the brisk December air. Not getting a reply, Connor tried to make small talk, as per social protocol. "You arrived here earlier than I expected."

 

Hank rubbed his eyes, puffy bags visible below his lower lashline. "Couldn't sleep."

 

The android found it curious. Sleep was the way humans recharged for the next day. Was Hank aware of that? "Without sleep, the human brain cells don't communicate as effectively, and the functionality of neurons is gradually impaired, leading to a difficulty in memory and perception. Perhaps we can resume this operation once you have further rested."

 

Lieutenant Anderson brushed past, as if he had either not heard him, or simply chose to ignore him. The second option was usually right. His mood seemed less enthusiastic than the days before, and he was not a very cheerful individual to begin with.

 

RK-800 followed him into the building, witnessing a swarm of students buzzing in every direction as they rushed to their respective classes. There was a high-tech screen at the back of the hall, and Connor reached forward to touch it. His skin retracted to reveal his bionic hand, ivory shell showing to just above his wrist as he connected to the new database. He accumulated every detail logged into it before pulling back. "Secretary's office is this way."

 

Hank raised an eyebrow as he watched him. Androids could be useful sometimes. Just sometimes.

 

They paced in silence until they reached their destination. Stepping into the office, they were greeted by an elegantly-dressed female AI, accessorized with the bright Android triangle and armband to clearly identify her as a non-sentient humanoid.

 

"Welcome to the University of Detroit. How may I help you?"

 

Out of habit, the tall figure pulled out his badge and held it out for her to see. "Hank Anderson, Detroit Police. We're to have a chat with Doctor Ito."

 

The secretary scanned his identification. With a nod, she proceeded to access the university timetable for all personnel.

 

"There is no such name registered as a member of our university staff."

 

A bit more aggressively than normal, Hank snuck his badge back into his coat. "Fuckin' A, of course there isn't", he moaned to himself.

 

"We are investigating a young woman who studied here about three years ago. In her medical file it was stated she was having counselling sessions with Doctor Ito. Does he no longer work here?" Connor remained calm in the face of adversity. The other machine was just executing her orders, like him.

 

"I am unable to find any human or android under the name of Doctor Ito in our employment history."

 

Brows furrowed. Peculiar. A person who never existed? If they managed to delete themselves from their records, they could either be a deviant, or a human with someone on the inside.

 

They had to think of the next person who might be more competent to answer their questions. "Can we have a word with the principal, then?"

 

"Certainly. His current meeting is due to end in 10 minutes. You may seat yourself here while you wait."

 

The human waved his hand. "Thanks, but we'll have a look outside in the meanwhile."

 

"As you wish. Thank you for utilizing the secretary program of the University of Detroit. We hope you had a pleasant experience. Please check your email for a feedback questionnaire. Have a nice day!"

 

Hank mumbled something offensive about androids as they returned to the hallway. Connor was analysing the faces of students passing by, hopelessly searching for more links to their case. Nothing of interest. He focused on the man who was strolling down the hall, gaze lingering on the portraits of previous headmasters.

 

"Pompous dicks."

 

In the middle of deciphering how organic male genitalia could be conceited, RK-800 was interrupted when a girl approached them boldly.

 

"You're the new police android, right? Hot."

 

They both turned towards her, Hank scrunching his features in disagreement. Connor glanced down at himself. His artificial body temperature was still set to normal parameters.

 

"What's it to you?"

 

Anderson very evidently didn't take well to strangers, especially those trying to butt into their business. The girl flicked her pristine ponytail, bringing the same hand in front of her to admire her new manicure. "I bet you're looking into that junkie slut. Did she finally get caught?"

 

Alerted, the detectives gestured for her to move closer. Hank crossed his arms in front of his chest, slightly lowering his voice. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about a Doctor Ito, right?"

 

She blurted out a condescending laugh. "You mean the shrink she was fucking? Yeah, _everyone_ knew about it. Then the media found out and they had to fire him."

 

Connor's head angled to the side. "What about the student?"

 

For the first time, the unknown presence dropped her voice to a whisper. "Okay, literally the whole campus got their drugs off her, but you didn't hear that from me. Everyone's been on edge with the crazy android news and there were some shady rumours about her - I mean, really heavy shit. Some were saying she was undercover Chinese mafia, so we - uh, people stopped buying from her."

 

It appeared that they had found a goldmine. Hank was pretty intrigued, while Connor looked like he would be vigorously wagging his tail if he had one. Integrating into the hush-hush gossip atmosphere, he huddled closer, and they were all inched into a circle in the corner of the hallway, purposefully enabling her loose tongue.

 

"Do you know where these rumours originated from?"

 

She moved even closer, sinking into the prototype. Her hand snaked up his arm to rest atop his shoulder, and her glossy lips were almost brushing against his earlobe. "It was a whole thing. The FBI showed up at her apartment and-"

 

The mystery remained unveiled as the principal's voice reached their gathering. "Ah, there you are! Miss Valerie, I believe you have classes to attend to. Detectives, would you be so kind as to join me in my office?"

 

Wordlessly, the two men tailed after him. Unlike the secretary's room, the headmaster's quarters were something to behold. Hank had never seen so many awards on one shelf and wall combined, solidifying his perception of the self-absorbed jackasses.

 

They were invited to sit, and this time, they accepted.

 

The principal was in his early fifties, just like Hank, except it was obvious that he had more money to splurge on cosmetic surgery, hair salons, personal tailors and all the rest. A nice tan, a clean shave, a full head of brown hair and a speckless suit. He was cordially pleasant with them, and Hank loathed the fake smile on his face.

 

Politeness was a must in a professional environment. The headmaster glanced between them. "What can I do for you, Lieutenant Anderson and…"

 

"My name is Connor. I'm the android sent by Cyberlife." His standardized introduction had become a staple of his, Hank was painfully aware, having heard it so many times.

 

"Nice to meet you-", the posh voice of the suited individual began, but was promptly cut off. Hank's headache was going to worsen if he heard another useless word out of that guy's mouth.

 

"You can start by tellin' us who the hell this Doctor Ito asshole is and why it seems like he's vanished into thin air."

 

He didn't bother censoring himself. While the principal might've thought he held some sort of mighty authority, Hank could throw him into the cooler the second they had enough evidence, and he had a strong feeling that the nice guy act was all bull. His gut was always right.

 

The other man feigned dejection. "Yes… I feared this day would come."

 

Tucking his fingers into a hidden compartment of his blazer, he pulled out a small key. Behind him, the bottom drawers slid open, and he bent down to access further with the use of hand print recognition. It was then that a line of safes appeared, all sporting intricate keyholes. He inserted the key into the furthest one, and it smoothly swung open, revealing a single folder.

 

He picked it up, returned the tightly sealed drawers to their initial state, and slid the file on the desk towards the policemen. Hank snatched it, using his digits to browse through, a much-needed explanation serving as background noise.

 

"Doctor Mamoru Ito was a psychologist we hired six years ago. He was specialised in dealing with youths suffering from mental illness."

 

The air with which Hank leaned forward into the seat was commanding, and the intimidation pushed the other man to persevere. "There was a… misunderstanding with one of the female students three years later. We had to let him go."

 

Being a seasoned detective, it was easy to catch him trying to deflect blame. "Way I hear it, he was screwing an underage girl."

 

In reply, the headmaster fidgeted under the desk restlessly, pulling his features into a far-from-genuine laugh. "Those were just the students gossiping. Nothing really happens here, so it was a big topic, you see. Simply hearsay."

 

Hank threw the folder back on the table with a powerful slap, standing to his feet. "Sure, I'll call it hearsay when I handcuff you for obstruction of justice."

 

Connor joined, standing with him in a show of determination.

 

"The sentence for withholding information and altering evidence can go up to ten year plus fines, depending on the severity."

 

Anderson's chest puffed out proudly, arms crossing before him. "Lemme guess: hiding the crime of adultery in a public institution is pretty severe."

 

Plastic lips curved into a smirk as the android  adjusted his sleeves. "Correct. The probability of a hypothetical suspect found guilty spending a decade in jail is 98.3%."

 

The lieutenant raised his eyebrows, pretending to be surprised, gaze fixed on the other human like a cat ready to pounce to its prey. "Hear that? I'd advise sleeping with an eye open. The creeps really have a thing for convicts mixed up with sexual offenses." His warning sounded more like a threat, as intended.

 

Appalled with their behaviour and feeling undermined by their imposing presence, the principal clenched his fist, trembling furiously. "Gentlemen, I have a reputation to uphold!"

 

Clearing his throat, he tempered his tone back to cold calmness. He straightened his back and gestured towards the door. "If that will be all, take the papers with you and please see yourselves out. I believe handing you the evidence is more than enough proof of my innocence in this matter."

 

A scoff escaped Hank, irritating the other even further. He was not being taken seriously in the least, especially taking into account the snarky response he got.

 

"Someone from the precinct will give you a call."

 

Grasping desperately at whatever was left of his pride, the headmaster simply avoided both their stares, nose elevated as if he was somehow superior to them. "Very well. I will let my lawyers know."

 

New information in hand, the detective duo exited the University, down the same steps they had climbed earlier.

 

Anderson stopped for a second, resting his hands on his hips, file still secured under his arm. "Well, that was eventful. Not too bad in there with that prick-"

 

Unaware of his superior speaking, RK-800 stopped abruptly in his path. "Lieutenant, I have just been notified that the victim has regained consciousness and is well enough to allow questioning."

 

Hank's eyes went wide, and he rushed to the vehicle.

 

"Shit, let's go."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is probably the longest I've ever gone in a story without introducing the protagonist! Rest assured, you'll get to meet Yue in the next chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone has an addiction, and they always come with consequences.
> 
> Pinterest boards for Yue ( bit.ly/YueJiang ) and Bella ( bit.ly/BellaDBH ) for anyone interested in their looks and aesthetics! Yes, I am a huge loser.

 

**ADDICTION**

  


_Three things cannot long be hidden._

 

_The sun, the moon, the truth._

  


Bright, white lights. Ringing, throbbing pain.

 

Eyelids peeling open.

 

_Heaven?_

 

Steady beeps, playing to the rhythm of her heartbeat.

 

"She's awake!"

 

_Demons?_

 

"Quick, she's going to-"

 

Projectile vomit with a gut-wrenching sound.

 

The first woman donned in white pat her back while a second wiped her mouth. She looked at them.

 

_No… they gotta be angels._

 

Her mind was hazed, surrounded by fog. She plopped back onto the pillow. The aftertaste in her mouth was nothing short of vile.

 

"Please tell me I'm dead."

 

One of the nurses readied to leave with the puke bucket, and gave a small laugh.

 

"I'm afraid not, honey. This is the ICU."

 

Good, finally free from that shithole - ICU?

 

She sat up on the bed, looking around. A window, a door, sterile walls…

 

Her fingers? Covered in odd, wired clasps. Needle in her hand, fluids pouring through from the IV bag. There were another five lined up to follow.

 

The groan she let out was very raspy and painful.

 

"Fuck sake."

 

Barely able to swallow. She frowned and brought a couple of digits up to brush their pads against her sore neck.

 

"What the hell happened to my throat?"

 

"We had to insert a pipe to flush out your stomach, then put you on respiratory support for the night. And mind your language, missy!"

 

Yue parted her torn, chapped lips to speak, but an overpowering shiver shot down her spine and made her tremble violently, teeth clattering.

 

"You'll be experiencing withdrawal. Gave us some trouble to get all that garbage out of you."

 

The Chinese girl glared, no shame, after having  rolled her eyes into the back of her head sarcastically.

 

"How did you even manage? I made sure to take the perfect doom cocktail."

 

Right at the door, the older woman glanced at her over her red-framed glasses. "You should be grateful, they used those brand-new microbots on you."

 

With that, they both left.

 

Yue couldn't even turn on her side, thanks to all the tubes and wires. She inspected the two electrodes glued on at either side beneath her clavicles and tried to peel them, but the adhesive stung her skin. They were there to stay.

 

"Bastard!"

 

She hated sleeping on her back. Her stare was soulless and furious, burning make-believe holes into the ceiling as she sat in soundless oblivion.

 

-

 

After they got the okay to speak to the patient, they headed straight to her room. Hank told Connor to stay behind him, and slowly pushed the door open with a tiny creak.

 

Well, she wasn't asleep, but she did look like a dug-up corpse.

 

Her skin was the shade of a wandering spectre with the exception of the darkened hollows underneath her eyes. It clung even more desperately to her bones, leaving sharp angles in their wake. Yue blinked at them, unbothered.

 

Anderson had dealt with addicts before. He approached her gingerly, reaching to take a seat on the chair next to her bed. The android followed suit, slowly entering the room, left standing nearby.

 

"Hey, kiddo… How you holdin' up?"

 

It was the first time Connor witnessed the lieutenant being so careful with someone.

 

Unfortunately, Yue wasn't in the best mind space to appreciate his gentleness. Her voice was still hoarse. "I pee in a bag strapped to my leg."

 

A snappy one. Great. Just what he needed.

 

"We have some questions about what happened the other day."

 

The girl leaned forward, crossing her legs with a wince underneath the thin covers. Ok, so the tube going into her bladder _could_ hurt. Ignoring the discomfort, she planted her chin in her open palm.

 

"I tried to kill myself and I'm _so glad_ people intervened."

 

As much as she pissed him off, Hank couldn't help but relate to her.

 

"Why?"

 

She moved her gaze towards Connor, who had just posed quite the inquiry. It wasn't hard to note the LED. An android, huh? Nothing like she'd seen before. That improved her mood ever so slightly.

 

"Cool. New model. Prototype?"

 

He didn't calculate the possibility of her questioning him back. A reminder to prepare himself better next time.

 

"If you answer my question, I'll answer yours."

 

_Oh, sassy._

 

"See, 'droids have a purpose when they're created. Humans don't! Whoever put us here just goes, 'have fun with your existential crisis.' I couldn't find a purpose to live, so I chose to die."

 

The machine assessed her response. From a logical standpoint, it wasn't inaccurate. "I am an RK-800 prototype, designed to assist in police investigations to capture deviants."

 

Hank was getting tired of listening to their weird banter. "I don't think I want to know what's happening,'' he mumbled to himself. "Right. Let's hear it, beginning to end. I got reports to write."

 

Yue moved her neck horizontally, causing a loud crack. The man winced, as if her action caused him physical pain. "If you get me out, I won't just tell you, I'll show you. The red ice, the cocaine, the weed… everything." Her smile was sinister, almost unsettling.

 

"Sorry, kiddo, but it's not up to me. You need to be taken care of."

 

She growled, crossing her arms and kicking her legs back. "Then you're on your own, old man."

 

Anderson doubled over, as if he hadn't heard her right. His blood was starting to boil. "Old man?! You little-"

 

"I can break you out."

 

Both their voices dropped dead and they turned towards the android. Their facial expressions took completely opposite turns. Hank was outright revolted, while she was grinning a bit too widely. They exclaimed simultaneously.

 

"Hell yes!" "Hell no!"

 

"There will be conditions."

 

Yue's shoulders rolled into a careless shrug, and the lieutenant calmed down slightly.

 

"Firstly, you will leave here in no earlier than seven days. I have assessed your medical condition, and it is necessary for your recovery."

 

Another eyeroll.

 

"Secondly, I will accompany you at all times. After you exhaust your usefulness to the investigation, we will hand you over to the other officers to be dealt with in concordance with current legislation."

 

Hank nodded, like a father pleased with his children being scolded for their misdeeds.

 

The girl held out her hand. Connor came closer and copied her gesture, and their fingers closed around each-other. With a shake, the deal was sealed.

 

He removed his hand, and they were preparing to depart. At the last second, Yue reached out again, fingers catching onto the corners of his navy sleeve. Her face softened, much alike her tone. She looked up at the android, the same way he remembered the housekeeper. Hopeful.

 

"How's… Bella's new owner? Is she doing okay?

 

The two men exchanged glances.

 

"What?"

 

Hank grunted. "She's cuffed in a cell back at the station. Main suspect for your 'attempted murder'."

 

Despair was slowly washing over her. Despair and guilt, tearing her apart from the inside. "No! No, she had nothing to do with it, she-"

 

Connor cut in. "It saved you."

 

Yue's confusion read out on the position of her eyebrows. "She couldn't. I ordered her not to." Given an LED, hers would be spinning golden before the realization sunk in. She grasped the sheets underneath her.

 

"She's a deviant."

 

It was hard to believe the words coming out of her mouth. Bella had been the definition of obedient since day one. She was supposed to listen to her. Did the girl's reckless decision to throw away her life affect her android so much that it broke her programming to keep her alive?

 

Hank could see the tears gathering in her eyes, glistening against the hospital lamp. "We'll keep an eye on her for now. There's not enough evidence to convict her and no witnesses to make statements."

 

Voice quiet as a mouse, Yue wasn't sure if the gust of wind blowing through the curtains covered her words up or not, but she said them anyway.

 

"Thank you."

 

It was Hank's turn to see bit of Bella in the young woman, too. He stood up, his lips curving an unnoticeable amount to the human eye. It was perfectly noticeable to Connor.

 

"Now stop bein' a nuisance and get better."

 

A faint snicker escaped her. "See you in a week", she hummed, breaking into a cough as they closed the door behind them. Her cursing escaped the confines of the four walls and she blew her nose.

 

Back in the lieutenant's Oldsmobile Cutlass, he faced Connor angrily. "What the hell were you thinking?"

 

RK-800 had never been yelled at before. He felt… inappropriate. "My goal is to accomplish my mission. If this is the only way, it must be done."

 

Grumpy as can be, Anderson started the engine with a loud roar.

 

"Fuckin' androids."

 

-

 

It had turned evening, and Hank was staring at Bella, completely dumbfounded. He turned back to the captain.

 

"What do you mean, it's coming with me?"

 

Fowler scanned his prints to confirm clearance for letting her out of her cell. "I told you already! We don't have anything to charge her with. Even if she's deviated or whatever, she doesn't belong in here."

 

No, no, no. The lieutenant had to find a way out. "Did you contact those greedy Cyberlife assholes?"

 

"We tried. They ghosted us. Probably don't care much for an old rageddy Anne."

 

His superior was about to return to his office. Hank reached a hand to grasp his shoulder. "Don't do this to me. You know I hate these fuckin' things. Ain't it bad enough I gotta work with one?!"

 

The captain snaked his arm away and continued walking, dangerously pointing a finger at the other man. "Hank, don't start. I am your commanding officer and you'll listen to my god damn orders! Take the android and go home."

 

It had been completely quiet during the entirety of the ride back to Hank's house. Bella's hands stayed in her lap, head hung low. He glanced at her now and again, but she maintained the same posture. He wondered if she was even blinking underneath her head of silky hair.

 

"We're here", his raspy voice announced with a clear of his throat. She looked at him, and gave a small nod. "I see."

 

Was she going to get out of the car?

 

"You can come out", Hank encouraged, even walking over to her side and opening the door, dodging her gaze. Bella seemed taken aback. Stepping out, she slipped on the edge of the car's frame, slidy due to the heavy rain. Her frame landed firmly against his chest, and he caught her by the sides of her arms.

 

Bella's orbs moved upwards, noticing details in the man's face that she had overlooked before. It was the first time they stood so close. She was mesmerized.

 

"Your eyes are very lovely. Like the sky before a storm."

 

A bit rougher than intended, Hank let go of her and advanced towards his home, not responding to the compliment. What the hell had he gotten himself into? Was that the kind of stuff she was programmed to say?

 

Meekly, she followed after him. He had already reached the fridge, pulling out a cold bottle of beer and slamming it on the kitchen table.

 

Glancing around, Bella noted the disorder of his items. The lights were barely bright. He seemed to enjoy the darkness, or rather find comfort in it, like Yue. Humans were strange, but she loved them all the same.

 

Not having received any orders, she sat still by the entrance, back straightened. Her uniform was now wrinkled, and the hand she had previously dug into the bathroom wall was chipped, disrupting her skin and showing jagged bits of ivory shell and blue blood.

 

It didn't take much for a detective to catch wind of it. He stopped sipping on the beer and angled himself to look at her. Hank wasn't entirely sure how to address her. He wasn't comfortable talking to a regular android, much less a malfunctioning one. There was still so much mystery surrounding deviancy. Why did it happen? What did it mean, and how did it change them? He wasn't nearly drunk enough to contemplate such complexities.

 

"Come here a second", he attempted, damning the doubts of sounding too commanding to hell. It's not like she could… have emotions.

 

Could she?

 

"Certainly, Lieutenant."

 

She was by his side in an instant. His exhale was long and tired. One of his large hands locked itself in his strips of silver hair. "God, not you too. Any more androids start callin' me that, people will think I'm a fucking pimp. Just Hank will do."

 

Her lips were very pleasant to look at. A nice heart shape, full and flush. Cyberlife clearly meant for her to tick off every standard of conventional beauty. Said lips curved, and her chest released a huff of air. She… laughed?

 

"I understand. A pleasure to meet you, Just Hank."

 

He waved his hands. "Ah, fuck. That's not what I meant-"

 

Another chirp of laughter, this time less timid. Her teeth were perfectly aligned and blindingly white.

 

"Forgive me, Hank."

 

She was messing with him. Did he have an 'all androids invited to fuck with me on the daily' post-it stuck to his forehead, like the ones on his mirror?

 

He reached out, aiming for her wrist. Before coming in contact with it, he paused. "May I?"

 

Robots couldn't blush. They didn't have blood in their veins, but thirium, and it was blue. Hank couldn't explain her bashful expression or the redness of her cheeks.

 

"Y-yes."

 

Gingerly, he turned her hand in his, examining the cracks and grazes. He touched them tentatively.

 

"Does it… hurt?"

 

The garden of roses on her head swung like a pendulum.

 

"No, androids don't feel pain."

 

The human wasn't sure why he was relieved at that fact. It might've been the stupid amount of times Connor recklessly got himself into dangerous situations.

 

"Let's patch it up, just in case."

 

There was no protest from her. Out of one of the drawers, Hank retrieved a roll of bandages and a pair of scissors. He tended to her hand and wrapped the fabric around it, covering every hole. When he was done, he tied it securely, and backed away.

 

She held her arm up, curiously examining his handiwork. It couldn't have been his first time performing something like that. Already having memorized where the utensils came from, the female android returned them neatly into the drawer so Hank didn't have to get up again.

 

Hesitantly, he gestured to the chair opposite of him. Somehow, the chaotic mess of his surroundings had just then made itself obvious to him, causing a hint of embarrassment to nip his pride in the behind.

 

She seated herself, eyes still travelling all over the place, like a child seeing snow for the first time.

 

"Sorry for the mess", he mumbled before swinging the bottle to his mouth.

 

Bella was beaming back at him. "It is not a problem at all. I can see your personality in it."

 

"I don't know if I should be offended", he chuckled dryly.

 

"Of course not. I would love to learn more about you."

 

That was the second time Anderson choked on his drink because of her.

 

"Trust me, there's nothing interesting to know."

 

She looked away with a polite smile of 'whatever you say'. Her eyes darted over the clock.

 

"It is getting late. Might I suggest you rest soon?"

 

He raised an eyebrow. Getting told off to bed by a woman brought back memories of someone he'd rather not reminisce.

 

"I'd prefer you don't."

 

"My apologies."

 

Despite his words, it wasn't long before Hank retreated to his room, feeling too awkward to be by himself with the housekeeper. He laid awake in bed, an arm tucked behind his head.

 

The last image he saw before drifting off to sleep was Bella's face, the echo of her joyous laugh melting into his dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops. Hello. It me. Did I plaster 'updated twice a week' all over this and then disappear for a month? Perhaps. Please forgive me, real life always bites me in the ass when I think I have any time or inspiration for writing. Regardless, please let me know what you think of Yue, Bella and the story so far! I'm still a few chapters ahead, but I will try to stick to posting once a week. I got overly enthusiastic last time. Pray for me and thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's not easy to live without the thing you love most.

 

**WITHDRAWAL**

The next morning, Connor was making his way through the twisted hallways of the hospital. He reached the Intensive Care Unit, and halted in front of the android security guard. Both their LEDs blinked yellow before the larger figure stepped aside.

"Identification verified. Access granted."

He knew his stop. Fifth door to the right.

As he grew near, a human nurse was just exiting the patient's quarters. She looked agitated, clutching a tablet screen to her chest. "Ah! Are you her emergency contact?"

Connor narrowed his eyes. He would answer truthfully. "No. I work with Lieutenant Anderson."

The statement caused her to glance behind him, so the android clarified matters to avoid confusion. "He will not be joining me today."

Maya, as her uniform read, slumped against the wall. "It's my first time taking care of an overdose survivor. Her symptoms are terrible and I'm not sure I can cope."

"Symptoms of what?"

"Withdrawal. With all addicts, after they stop taking their usual, the body reacts negatively. It's a necessary evil."

He was unaware. Connor logged the information into his data bank.

"Perhaps I could be of assistance."

The nurse loosened her grip on the tablet. "That would be very helpful. Because of her red ice habits, she's now having constant panic attacks and fits of paranoia. Won't let anyone near because they're 'strangers'. We tried to find anyone she knows to come and see her, but no luck."

He recalled the information discovered at her apartment. Han and Meili Jiang, her parents, had passed away not long ago. Connor wondered if Yue even knew, and if she did, if it had contributed to her dark thoughts. His searches concluded that she had no other relatives, and people at her university seemed to not concern themselves with her.

It was just her. There wasn't a human in the world who loved her.

Was that how Hank felt?

"Her and I have met previously. Will that be useful?"

Maya held out the tablet to him. "Definitely! These are the things she needs. Will you bring them over and then stay with her a bit? We can't get her washed or fed, she's too aggressive with us. She's been sedated for now."

Connor didn't know much about wild animals, but he couldn't help envisioning Yue as a scared red panda. Thankfully, every section of the building was covered by wifi. He did a quick browse to satisfy his curiosity.

_Searching: How to tame animals ..._

While he left his software to process the new subject, Maya thanked him and walked away. His gaze trailed over the tablet, connecting to it through his exposed android hand. Once memorized, he placed it down on the floor and made his way outside.

_First objective: clothes._

That was easy. He always had a spare set of his usual outfit for cases where he got shot or otherwise maimed in the line of duty.

_Second objective: food_.

He remembered the burger place Hank frequented.

_Third objective: miscellaneous items_.

There must be something of interest in the evidence room collected by the forensics team. Was he authorized to remove it from the precinct? No. That didn't mean he wouldn't try.

_Pathway computed. Execute?_

 

**[ △ Yes ]**

**◯ No**

-

 

Begrudgingly, Hank managed to drag himself out of bed. His lids were heavy, entire body groaning with the soreness of old age.

Last he recalled, Sumo was sleeping at the bottom of the duvet, but he was nowhere to be found. As he took in a breath, the detective identified an enticing scent. He wondered if the neighbours were having a barbeque again.

Careless with his appearance as always, he stepped barefoot into the hallway, draped in a stained t-shirt and comfy boxers. He yawned widely before a noise caught his attention.

"Good boy! You're so sweet, aren't you?"

The excited bark in return was very familiar. Quickening his pace, Hank reached the kitchen. Upon arriving, his jaw practically dropped to the floor.

He had forgotten she was even there. The Saint Bernard didn't seem to mind, chowing down on a bowl of freshly-made dog food.

"Good morning, Hank."

Bella's voice was like bread and butter, first thing in the morning. Was she that beautiful before? Her hair looked like a lazy fireplace crackling away on a cold winter day. More importantly-

"Jesus Christ! Why are you naked?!"

The android's perfectly sculpted body was completely bare, save for the bandages on her hand and an apron tied around her waist reading 'kiss the cook'. A little delayed, he held up his palms to cover his eyes.

"I apologise, my uniform got dirty while I was cleaning so I put it in the laundry. Was that too rude of me?"

_Cleaning?_

Hank removed the hands in front of him but still avoided looking at her altogether. Instead, he glanced around, realizing that his home had never been that spotless. "You did all that?"

He meant to look back at her and was again taken aback by her nudity. Yelping, his head turned away.

"I just wanted to help."

Why did he bother trying to steal a glance of her? Those big doe eyes could look so much like Connor's. It was an uncomfortably weird association. "No, I'm being an ass. Thanks."

His appreciation made her thirium pump run for the hills. She broke into a sweet smile, letting her hands sit on her cheeks as her shoulders raised.

"I prepared breakfast, as well. Bacon and eggs with a cup of plain black coffee, no sugar. Is that satisfactory? I can make something else, if you wish."

Oh, that's what that smell was. Hank inhaled the wonderful aroma, making his day just a bit easier to get through.

"That's perfect."

Their eyes met again, and he noticed her flushed face.

"-perfectly fine, I mean, uh, you shouldn't have  bothered."

He took a seat and admired how shiny his old cutlery set seemed. The knife tore through the strips of bacon as he took a healthy bite.

_Damn. That's so good._

"Anything for you, Hank."

Cyberlife really went all out with that one, huh? Fucking flawless woman making him breakfast, butt-naked, saying shit like that. He knew she couldn't help it, but it made him feel like a jackass for taking advantage of her eagerness to be of use.

God, that was pathetic, even for him. He felt a wave of embarrassment, his fork aimlessly tapping against the plate. "There should be some clean clothes in the bedroom, you can wear them until your uniform's dried."

She nodded and thanked him again, rushing past. Minutes later, Bella returned, and Hank was done with his breakfast, sipping on the coffee. _How does she make it taste so damn delicious? Mine always comes out like piss._

"Let me get that for you", the housekeeper recited, a line spoken a million times before. She reached to grab the empty dish, and Hank realized she was now wearing his dark Detroit Police hoodie. That wasn't clean. He wore it yesterday.

As her figure headed to the sink, the man had to hold a snicker in. It was endearing, the way his large clothes hung off her body. The hem ended just above her knees.

_Fuck, she's probably not wearing any underwear._

His fears were confirmed when she bent over to pet Sumo, Hank's stormy eyes meeting her round ass. With a crash, his chair flew backwards, and he toppled onto the floor.

"Hank! Are you alright?!" There was something in the way she said his name. Maybe her accent? It was impossible to put his finger on.

"Fine, fine, I'm fine!"

An especially pesky muscle in his back tore a groan out of him as he sat up. She supported his weight with ease, leading him to the couch. Hank hadn't noticed the jazzy tunes. Did she put that on for him, too?

Relaxed into the cushions, his eyes watched her bring his mug over. On the coffee table, he found an old vase left over from his last relationship, many years ago. It was filled with fresh flowers, and next to it was a picture frame that ripped his heart out of his chest.

_Cole_.

Bella wasn't as advanced as the newer androids. She couldn't just scan anyone and learn everything about them. Gently, Hank placed the photograph face-down, hurt bleeding from his soul. His mood dropped, sinking into the depths.

Waiting quietly, she stabbed her lower lip with a sharp bite. _Stupid, you shouldn't have touched his stuff. It upset him._

"I'm sorry."

Apologetically, she finally dared to break the silence. Hank remained still as a statue, arms on his knees, head buried between them.

"I never wanted to-"

His voice was trembling with anger, fingers rolling in a fist. "Shut up." Bella gasped. She took a few steps back.

"Just fucking shut up. I thought all androids are annoying, but you're the goddamn worst."

The words cut through her core. Without any other insults, Hank went back to his bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

Eyes filled with tears, Bella clung to the fabric covering her body, noticing the scent. A mixture of alcohol, coffee and powdered sugar.

It smelled like him.

She pulled the hoodie over her head, leaving her frame bare once more. The piece of clothing was abandoned, folded neatly on the couch as Sumo whined at the front door in her absence. The music kept playing, despite nobody being there to listen.

 

> -

Strokes of sunshine bled through the parted curtains into Yue's room, spreading warmth in contrast with the low temperature outside.

Her body jumped in place at the sound of the electrical door knob turning. She backed away into the frame of her hospital bed, a drop of sweat disappearing down the nape of her neck. Horrified to make a sound, the breath about to escape her was swallowed back into her lungs.

A familiar face took shape before her eyes, lessening her stress. It was someone she didn't expect.

"Connor?"

He was holding a number of bags. Instinctively, his systems analyzed her condition.

_Elevated heart rate and increased rate of breathing. Signs of piloerection._

The data coupled with his studies from earlier.

_'When it comes to animals, this makes them seem larger and more formidable.'_

Reading all results on how to tame animals only took him an estimated 0.6 seconds. A bit sloppy. He thought he could do better.

RK-800 was specifically created to handle any human, although it was an incredibly detailed process. Rogue androids were more his field. It was the perfect opportunity to test his new skills.

 

 

**[ △ Give space ]**

**◯ Show affection**

**☓ Offer treat**

**▢ Groom**

 

 

Arms raised as a signal of peace, he stood in place, a gentle smile plastered on his face. "Hello, Yue. It's good to see you."

Her muscles released some of the tightness, breathing slowly regulating on its own. "Is the old man here?" Defenses were still up.

"No. It's just me today."

A wave of energy pulsated through the room, and Yue's body finally relaxed. "Thank fuck."

Encouraged, the android took a few steps closer and watched her for a reaction, but all she did was get comfortable on the sturdy mattress. He reached the bedside table, placing the bags down. "I have been instructed to bring you a few things."

Curiously, Yue peeked over. She stretched her neck to see, but the wires kept her body strapped to the devices around her bed frame. Annoyed, she yanked her arms, instantly regretting it.

"Ow, shit shit shit!"

Her IV had ripped straight out of her hand, now splurting a moderate amount of blood on both of them. In a panicked frenzy, she tried to press her palm onto the opening, applying pressure to the wrong place. More redness gushed out, and she felt herself getting dizzy at the sight.

It was oddly soothing, the sensation of Connor's skin on hers. Expertly, he stopped the bleeding, her hand resting in his. Her dark oak pupils stared into his warm, chocolate ones. Why did Cyberlife give him such adorable features?

"The bleeding has stopped,'' he announced, knocking her out of her daydreaming state. He deduced it would be more efficient to reintroduce the butterfly needle in her other hand. The left one was swollen, probably also sore. Confused, he frowned.

"It is recommended to switch the needle before such bloating occurs. It can be quite uncomfortable. Why did the nurses not do this?"

His voice was so serious, and it sent a very strange shiver down Yue's back, coupled with the splashes of blood down his shirt. There was a castaway smear on his jaw, as well. She inched in and wiped it off with the sleeve of her hospital gown.

"I didn't let them touch me."

Yue's words didn't quite compute for the android. It clashed with their own repeated contact. "How come I'm allowed to touch you?"

Gulping, she tried not to interpret that weirdly. "You don't scare me like they do."

Connor was about to roll the switch on the narrow tube and attach it to the cannula when his movements paused.

 

 

**◯ Show affection**

**☓ Offer treat**

**[ ▢ Groom ]**

 

Upon recalculating, it would be more appropriate to get her changed and cleaned before restarting the fluids. "From my observations, androids make humans uncomfortable. However, I've acknowledged that the opposite applies for you."

The girl let out a weak laugh. "That's probably the most accurate description of me I've ever heard."

He held his arm out, puzzling her. His gaze was glued to her features, appearance just as sickly and concerning as the day before. "I will care for you today. Firstly, we will shower."

Ok, someone _had_ to be aware when they coded his speech pattern that he sounded unintentionally sexual every other sentence. Was that meant to unconsciously lower a human's guard around him?

"Weren't you a detective? Or did you get a nurse add-on?"

Sarcastic ministrations had become his regular, thanks to Gavin Reed. Connor was immune to the taunts, not that he even had feelings to allow it to bother him. He took a factual stance.

"I am equipped to perform any duties required of me in order to complete my mission."

_Equipped, huh?_ The drug dealer tried to mask her immature giggle. Her voice was always braided with a cynical flair, using snark to cope with the situations she ended up in. "Fair enough. All I've ever been to anyone is a tool."

Connor didn't argue. He had insufficient data to be able to tell if her statement was true. It raised a question in his software, however. Weren't androids specifically built to be tools for humans? He didn't understand her statement, and it caused a slight shred of frustration to seep into his thoughts. He was the most advanced prototype in existence, but he couldn't figure out the human female Yue Jiang. Not yet, at least.

She noticed his silence, aware that her statement caused conflict in his programming. With a small smirk, her body slid off the bed and her feet met the cold floor. "I can shower myself, but I don't have anything to change into."

In a knee-jerk response, the android offered her the spare outfit, picked out of its plastic confines. A plain spare set of his white pressed shirt and jeans, not forgetting a gray pair of briefs, the 'Cyberlife' trademark circling within the elastic band in an electric blue font.

Slim hands reached over dry lips to contain a snicker. It earned a head tilt of query from Connor, but she simply took the clothes and glided towards the bathroom. Before going in, she turned to him again, shook her head, and disappeared behind the tiles.

The android had listened to the running water quietly for exactly 12 minutes and 8 seconds before a human presence emerged into his sight again. They stared at each other, Connor standing shirtless beside her bed with his bloodied top hung over his forearm, Yue's hair dripping spots of dampness onto the white fabric draping over her petite frame, tied around her waist above the boxers.

"Look at us. The old man would have a heart attack" she joked, bringing the towel from her hands up to ruffle her pink locks.

She noticed his hand, finger held out to his mouth with a drop of red substance clinging to the tip. "Ah." Yue crossed her arms expectantly. "You're analyzing my blood, right? Well, let's hear it."

That was a peculiar reaction. Hank was always extremely grossed out by Connor's real-time forensic analysis module. It was a nice change for someone to know what he was doing and not assume the worst.

"Not in any shape to leave this hospital earlier than 6 days, as we've discussed."

Her eyes trailed over his pronounced collar bones and firm abdomen. Whoever designed his physical appearance must've had a field trip doing the quality testing.

Typical of Yue, her eyes rolled mockingly. "Yeah, yeah, spare me. Got any food?"

 

**◯ Show affection**

**[ ☓ Offer treat ]**

 

 

Her nostrils had picked up the delicious scent, and it caused her stomach to rumble audibly. The catty attitude retuned itself when she saw the android pulling out a cheeseburger. What else did he have in those bags? They were like a hidden treasure.

"Lieutenant Anderson frequents a questionable establishment for his meals. Despite the health warnings, he continues to enjoy their cuisine."

Yue grabbed the burger and leaned on the windowsill, taking a look outside. The city was swarming with people and androids, the segregation of the latter clear as day. Some owners even publicly abused their robots, verbally and physically. It made her sick, so she tried to divert her attention to something more pleasant. Alas, her gaze met the enticing chocolate fountain Connor hid in his pupils once more.

"Humans are hedonistic creatures. We'll take pleasure over all else." The bite she took was almost barbaric, wiping the ketchup from her chin with her wrist. "That's why we can never be perfect like your kind. Why we had to make something better than us, then subjugate it. To feel in control."

Connor neatly packed his shirt into a bag along with a tie, his blazer resting on the abandoned sheets of the bed. His expression remained neutral. "Humans are our masters. We obey their orders and we don't question them."

Her lip stuck up, almost pouting. She huffed in indignation. "Yes, that's what your programming made you say! But here's the real truth: humans aren't gods. They should always be questioned. We don't know it all, and it's not fair to treat androids like they are inferior when they're clearly so much more."

It was like talking to a brick wall. Her words couldn't get past his predetermined responses, and being aware of that fact only irked her more. Still, some androids went deviant. They understood what she meant. Could Connor realized that he's more than what everyone has ever told him?

Could _she_?

"Androids are just machines. We are not alive. Fairness is a null variable in this equation."

His voice was so steady, like nothing could shake his belief, or rather, the doctrine built into his systems. Yue's chest heaved with a sigh. It wasn't his fault. There was a want to mention deviants, but she held back. His very purpose was to hunt them and bring them back to be searched for 'errors'. Trying to steal that drive from him would be simply cruel. If he would ever wake up, it had to be of his own accord.

He noticed the longing in her eyes, but all he could do was register it.

She was about finished with her food, one leg dangling from her spot as the other sat curled underneath the weight of her body. Her forehead touched the glass, hot breath causing a flower of condensation to bloom by her lips.

"So, why are you really here?"

 

**△ Lie**

**[ ◯ Truth ]**

 

Connor approached her, sitting on the opposite end of the windowsill. His synthetic muscles turned and flexed with his movements, perfectly mimicking a human body on the surface. It could never stop being impressive to the girl, how far technology had come. She was literally having a conversation with an artificial intelligence in a body that easily passed as organic from the outside, lest the LED be forgotten.

His hand held out a familiar object, making her eyes widen. Her smartphone, screen cracked at the corners, was presenting her with memories that caused a knot beneath her ribcage, almost stopping her respiration.

"We encountered this student when looking into your psychiatrist from Detroit University. Her behaviour suggested a high dislike for you, which contradicts these images and videos I found archived on her social media accounts back at the police station."

Yue had to bite down on her tongue with force to keep the tears from welling up.

_You're so weak._

Nothing came back from her in reply.

 

**[ △ Pressure ]**

**◯ Give up**

 

His finger tapped the screen, bringing up one of the many photos. It showed the two females, arms around each other, colorful splatters of club lights pooling over them. One girl held a cigarette and the other a bottle of vodka. Both of their outfits were stylish, the first more brightly coloured and classy, while the second was shrouded in dark leather, chains and a choker. They were both grinning widely, clearly having the time of their lives.

Connor read out the caption.

"Love this girl. Hashtag, soulmates forever."

Yue flinched, looking away, her fingers twirling the ends of her damp hair.

 

**[ △ Pressure ]**

**◯ Give up**

 

He tapped another picture.

This time, it was just her own reflection, sitting in an expensive kitchen, having a bowl of cereal atop a marbled counter, donning a cropped top with rips and pyjama shorts.

"Best thing to wake up to. She's my world, T.B.H."

She avoided his gaze, but her voice echoed back at him, strained and quiet.

"To be honest."

In reply to the narrowing of his eyes, she repeated herself, raising her tone. "That's what 'tbh' stands for."

 

 

**△ Sympathize**

**[ ◯ Indifferent ]**

 

 

Connor's gaze was merciless. She had never seen an android act like that before. "Is that how you want to play this?" He leaned back, kicking one of his feet up on the windowsill beside hers. His shoulders rolled into a shrug of carelessness. His bare chest, the disdain in his voice, the rogue strand hanging down his forehead, away from the rest of his slicked-back hair - it stunned her. That was a sight Yue would probably never forget.

"What do I care? I'm not the one going to jail."

He slammed the phone down between them, lazily flicking through the content. Some selfies, some taken by friends, at parties, at home, on trips, at university; and others professionally shot, with the two girls modelling - mostly Yue. It seemed like she was even affiliated with a couple of magazines.

 

**[ △ Pressure ]**

**◯ Give up**

 

"You had something going for you, but you couldn't stay away from a good high, right? And you let it get to your head. Dug your own grave."

Tears now rolling off her reddened cheeks, her fists clenched. There was a loud thud as her hand made impact with the window. The glass was strong enough to endure the abuse, but her fist wasn't as lucky.

"Stop! Enough! God, don't these programmers know bad cop and good cop are meant to be two different people?!"

With a hiccup, she wiped her face, snatching the phone away from him and clutching it close to her heart, giving him a nasty stab of a glare.

 

 

**△ Warn**

**◯ Terrify**

**[ ☓ Protect ]**

  **▢ Comfort**

 

 

Instead of his cold approach, Connor's upper body inched in, face softening. He was an expert manipulator after all, designed to extract information.

"Just talk to me. Talk to me, Yue, and I'll protect you. I promise nobody will hurt you." His palm planted itself where the smartphone had been, supporting his weight. It was bait.

Yue sniffled. What a perfectly crafted detective, always knowing what to say, when to hurt and when to soothe. It didn't make her any less susceptible. Not many people had shown her kindness. She would take anything she could get, fake or otherwise. Her hand slowly crept towards his, gingerly landing on top.

"Me and Val were best friends. She absolutely hates me now."

 

**[ ◯ Show affection ]**

 

Connor's other hand reached out, boldly tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear, touch lingering just a moment, enough to get her on his hook.

"That must be hard for you."

His voice swayed her, even if his sympathy was a concoction of ones and zeroes.

"Yeah. It fucking sucks."

Her hostility melted into his palm, eyes sliding to a close. She stayed like that for a moment, and he obliged, unmoving. His thumb traced a lone tear. That was enough for the time being. He had plenty more days to visit her and pry out more information. Humans were fragile. Connor knew he had to limit his interrogations to reach maximum efficiency long term.

Their moment of intimacy ended as soon as it began, given the knock on the door. It was the nurse from earlier, checking on her patient.

Like kick-starting a motor, the android threw his custom-made blazer over exposed skin, fixing his collar. It felt peculiar without a shirt and tie. He was heading towards the door, having recovered the bags, when Yue's high pitched voice stopped him.

"I know what you're doing. Trying to cozy up to me to find out what you want to know."

He didn't turn to look at her, back upright, almost defying. "Is that upsetting?" He heard the shot of air being sucked into her lungs sharply.

"No."

The detective smirked to himself, turning the knob on the door. "I'll see you tomorrow, Yue."

_Taming successful._

-

Thankfully, Bella didn't possess a built-in setting that allowed her to experience temperature like newer androids did, especially the children. The freezing air of Detroit nipped any exposed skin it could find on the humans walking by. She was hiding out in an alleyway, completely bare of any clothes to cover herself.

Being an android also blessed her with the obliviousness to the concept of shame. However, multiple humans had attempted to harass her in what she assumed was a sexual manner when they spotted her LED. Somehow, the fact that she wasn't human gave them the freedom to do whatever they wanted to her. She escaped with a few scratches, the bandage around her hand tearing in the conflict, becoming lost somewhere throughout the slums.

The light on her forehead kept screaming neon ruby as she hugged her knees to her chest, hiding out in a lonesome carpark where she had discovered the body of another android. Leaning against a rusty vehicle, she kept him company, despite his LED being completely muted in its stillness.

_It must be terrible to shut down like that. Completely alone in the middle of nowhere. You poor soul._ Was anyone looking for him? Her throat burned at the thought.

Audio sensors sent the woman a caution message, strange noises caught approaching, and she instinctively ducked away behind the metal frame. She spotted a figure leaping over the wired fence, a gasp erupting from her in surprise. Could a human move like that…?

The unfamiliar man came closer, having noticed Bella. He gently held out his hand, coat fluttering behind him in the breeze. He was viewing her from above, but not looking down on her. His eyes were filled with warmth and kindness.

"I'm Markus. Don't be scared, I'm an android too."

Cautiously, she peeked out, her hair dull and coated in dust. One arm was resting on her chest in a tight ball of anxiety, while the other accepted his. Still a dulcet octave, her voice was low, like a withered flower bending its head. "Hello, Markus. I'm Bella."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Bella."

It was easy for her to mistake the new presence as a guardian angel that had just descended to offer salvation. He held her hand in his, courteous but secure. Their skins retracted, leaving two springs of ivory intertwined, and their software connected for a split moment.

Her eyes went wide, as the rain in her forest-green orbs subsided and allowed in a pool of light. His lips curved into a knowing smile as she repeated the name uttered in desperation by a dying android back at the Junkyard.

"Jericho."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaa I feel like the plot is interesting but sometimes my writing really doesn't live up to it. I apologise for the weird dips in quality. Other than that, I hope you stick around for the future chapters as twists begin to untangle! *evil laughter*


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There will always be something (or someone) to pull us out of the dark.

 

**REHABILITATION**

  


_"Aidan! Over here, handsome!"_

 

_"Jay… you shouldn't have!"_

 

_The bearded man was caught into a tight embrace by his lover as he approached them after exiting the bus. They both turned towards Bella, faces beaming with happiness._

 

_Her arms were resting in front of her figure, daintily joining her hands together. She smiled at the couple._

 

_"I am Bella, an AP-400 model android. I will be assisting you starting today."_

 

_Jay could feel himself melting at the look of excitement on the other's face. He left a peck on his head, void of hair. "Wow, she's gorgeous! And that accent!"_

 

_"Right? Now we don't have to stress out so much. We can finally take a day for ourselves, even a vacation!"_

 

_With a chuckle, Jay sealed his boyfriend's mouth in a short but sweet kiss. In return, Aidan rubbed his back and rested his head against his broad shoulder with a dreamy sigh. "A vacation… wow. We haven't had one since we bought the house."_

 

_On the horizon, the sky was deepening its shades of coral, hiding the sun before the fall of darkness._

 

_"Happy birthday, babe."_

 

_"I love you!"_

 

_"I love you too."_

 

Lucy's blackened eyes drifted from Markus to Bella. "You had it all... and you lost it all."

 

The two looked at each-other skeptically before the mysterious woman sealed their wounds with a burning rod. It was a relief that they didn't have pain receptors. She even provided them with a  bottle of blue blood, which they shared to replenish their lowered internal supply.

 

"A part of shadow and a part of light. Which will prevail? Your choices will shape our destiny."

 

x

 

Embers were crackling out of the large bins, giving cause to the draping shadows to dance across the tall, unforgiving structures of metal. It made Jericho just a little more welcoming, just a little more hopeful.

 

Markus inspired that to her. Hope. He returned by her side as she ghosted her fingers over the still lids of a carcass, eyes lingering over their LED. It was alight moments ago, and now it was gone. Death would always follow her, it seemed. Maybe Yue only survived because her android was no longer near.

 

"Are you alright?"

 

Bella's unnecessary release of breath came out shakier than intended. She got off her knees and stood again, facing him. "Yes. Yes, I'll be alright. Thank you, Markus."

 

He gave her a smile, another tiny ray of sunshine in the dark confines of the abandoned ship. "Thank _you_ , Bella."

 

She raised her head. "What for?"

 

"Coming here with me."

 

Her gaze shifted elsewhere, pale fingers grasping the side of her shoulder. "I had nowhere else to go."

 

-

 

After Connor's departure, Yue felt the consequences of her symptoms. As much as the nurses monitored her, there were many other patients in worse conditions than her, and she was left alone for the majority of the morning. 

 

Her phone was hidden underneath her pillow, residing there ever since she retrieved it from the android. He had left it with her for some reason, but the memories he brought up prevented her from gaining enough courage to look at it again.

 

Excessive shivering and puking had kept her occupied, cursing her tongue off in mixed slurs of English and Chinese. Different from the other day, she didn't resist the IV drip or the medications she was offered. Her consciousness drifted in between slumber and reality, increasing the feeling of exhaustion all the way through the marrow of her bones.

 

Her knuckles turned white from the strength of her grip on the pillows as she rode out a terrifyingly long feat of freezing cold crawling up her spine. As soon as it passed, she relaxed into the mattress, burying her sweat and tears into the sheets. The next time her eyelids peeled open, it was noon, and her phone did a most peculiar thing - it buzzed.

 

Realizing the source of the vibration, Yue grumpily kicked the covers away and dug out her mobile device. 

 

_New text from Connor._

 

What?

 

Instantly, her pulse jumped off the charts, causing her heartbeat monitor to beep alarmingly. She grimaced and slapped its sides, shushing it as if it was a childhood friend teasing her about a crush, but her caveman maneuvers were ineffective.

 

With a grunt, her fingers reached for the screen and triggered the failsafe code interface that most government-issued state facility machines were endowed with. She tapped away, disabling the annoying beeps when registering elevated heart rates. 

 

The door swung open, and she jumped back to the center of the bed, pretending to be asleep.

 

An android walked in, labeled as a medical assistant. He checked the monitor and looked at her for a moment before leaving, not having detected any anomalies. 

 

 _Still got it_ , she smiled to herself, redirecting her attention towards the phone.

 

_Connor_

_There's an appointment with the hospital's psychologist scheduled this afternoon. I suggest attending if you enjoy my visits, which I have strong reasons to believe you do._

 

She scoffed. Strong reasons? What an entitled dick. If she ever met whoever programmed him, there was a long list of reasons to punch them for, and it only seemed ever-growing.

 

Before answering, she checked to see how exactly he got his text through. There was a no-phone policy for the ICU overdose patients due to regulations put in place to prevent them acquiring more drugs on the premises. Transmissions were intentionally denied to devices not registered under the hospital inventory, but she also noticed an additional firewall implemented into the software. 

 

Her concentration broke through after twenty minutes of trying to reverse the obnoxious security to no avail. Her phone buzzed in her hand again.

 

_Connor_

_Your skills are impressive for a human, but not even you can take down those safety protocols. I personally saw to that._

 

She shook her fist at the screen as if he could see through it. "Argh! You really piss me off!"

 

_Yue_

_only alowed to talk to u? i thougt the point of rehab was so i_ dont _hurt myself again._

 

 _Ha. Take that. Dark human humour. S_ he sat back against the headboard, feeling herself starting to burn up again. She undid a couple of buttons on her - _his_ shirt. Her hand froze in place, remembering their earlier interactions. Recalling the coldness of his voice when he taunted her against the comforting, smoky words of sympathy. His touch, on her palm, on the top of her hand, on her hair and her cheek. Every inch of skin he came into contact with tingled, causing a hollow ache in her chest. She missed it already.

 

His hands felt so oddly pleasing, almost human, but not quite. Almost organic, but still plastic. She swallowed hard, sinking into the pillows and leaning her head back, face dusted by a powder of cherry blossoms. 

 

Why was she being such a weirdo? Yeah, androids fascinated her, but from a scientific view. Throughout her years in Qingdao and Detroit, never once did she feel like that about a human, let alone a machine. What was it about RK-800 that caused her to experience these unfamiliar bugs? He was like a virus, infecting her system and spreading his mark throughout her mind.

 

_Bzzz._

 

_Connor_

_That is not up to me, but I would certainly find it regrettable to lose you._

 

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, mouth left agape. 

 

_Connor_

_It would greatly hinder the investigation._

 

There it was. The reason she couldn't give him up. He was as pesky as he was inquisitive. Her reply spoke for itself.

 

_Yue_

_748 !!@_

 

_Connor_

_The appointment is in two hours. It would be best to answer honestly and cooperate._

 

Her pupils flipped into the back of her head. She could practically hear him nagging her.

 

_Connor_

_An eye roll will not suffice. I need your confirmation that you will attend._

 

How did he- ? Making an algorithm of her behavioural patterns. Of course. Always one step ahead. "Ugh, I'm going to knock his goddamn regulator right out, I swear", she grumbled under her breath.

 

_Yue_

_fine. i go if u stop nagging._

 

_Connor_

_Very well._

 

No more messages came afterward, and she was too stubborn to say anything else. Her body flopped on its side, face covered in tangles of neon pink.

 

x

 

"Hey, Connor! You ran out of batteries or what?"

 

Hank's raspy voice brought him back to his senses. His eyelids blinked, LED returning from yellow to blue. The girl had stopped corresponding for the time being. It was strangely disappointing. "I'm sorry, I was making a report to Cyberlife."

 

The aged detective didn't seem to buy it. "Really? You can do that, just by closing your eyes?"

 

Connor avoided his gaze. From the corner of his eye, he saw Yue's figure, a mischievous smirk on her lips as the river of peonies in her hair draped down her shoulders. She was sneering at him. The next time he blinked, she was gone.

  


_Showing results for:_

_Chinese numerology terms in modern texting_

 

_748: "Go and die!", 748 (pinyin: qīsìbā) represents 去死吧 (pinyin: qùsǐba), the equivalent of "Get lost!", or "Go to hell!"_

  


"Correct."

 

-

 

_Yue heaved her suitcase off of the band, averting her eyes towards the International Arrivals sign. A sea of people rushed past, meeting with family, friends or business associates as they emerged through the sliding glass doors._

 

_Nobody was waiting for her._

 

x

 

_A few weeks had passed since university started, but nothing much had changed. She hid her eyes behind her long ebony fringe, keeping her nose buried in her devices._

 

_Yue had left five voicemails for her parents and a few texts, none answered. Her allowance came in, and that was the extent of their contact with her, or her contact with any human for that matter._

 

_Every day was the same. Get up, have breakfast made by the android, get dressed in the closest hoodie she could find, go to school, come back, study, eat dinner made by the android, sleep. Although she mentioned to the AI that she could live off instant noodles and dumplings, it insisted that its role was to take care of the human. Yue would feel bad if she left the android with nothing to do, anyway. Neither of them had chosen to be there, after all._

 

_She slumped back to her dorm after the extra seminar on the development of androids and the advancement of biocomponents. She was shuffling with her access card for the front door of the female campus building when a dash of beautifully tanned skin came in and out of her view. The doors opened with a familiar beep, and Yue's sight was met with a superior gaze looking down at her._

 

_Wow, gorgeous._

 

_"Hurry up next time. Other people want to get in, too" she snapped, her platinum blonde hair swinging down her curved back, stopping above her plump hips as she ran past._

 

_The glass almost hit Yue in the face as she stared after the other, dressed so elegantly, her appearance perfectly put together. "Thanks" she aimlessly mumbled, taking the same flight of stairs to her room. She awkwardly followed the stuck-up student, both of them stopping at the same time to enter their respective rooms. They glanced at each-other, Yue remaining quiet while the other girl huffed and disappeared behind the door._

 

x

 

_"What's up with the surgical mask?"_

 

_Lifting her dark hair from the laptop, Yue recognized the same girl from before, popping her expensive handbag down on the bench in the outside area of the university cafe._

 

_Courteously, the accused removed said mask to speak properly. "I have a cold." Her explanation was meek, the different cartoony expressions on the holographic textile of her mask flickering between different animations._

 

_The stranger removed a nicely packed salad box out of her bag and placed it on top of the table, summarizing her lunch. "It's edgy. I like it."_

 

_Surprised, Yue broke into a small smile, which she instinctively tried to hide by pulling her mask back up. "Xie xie."_

 

_"Mei shi." The blonde smirked, pleased to have impressed Yue with a reply in her native tongue. "I'm Valerie Hale, by the way. What's your name, mystery nerd?"_

 

_"Yue."_

 

_"Come on, you're not a videogame character. Last name?"_

 

_"Jiang."_

 

x

 

_The library was Yue’s second favourite place, topped only by the privacy of her dorm room. It had become a habit to spend her hours after class tinkering around on the high-tech computers at their disposition, always at the very back of the room, with a gorgeous view of the gardens outside the gigantic glass walls. She always preferred when it rained, though._

 

_Her wireless earpods were snugly dug into her auditory canals, blasting her electronic dance playlist on shuffle. For some odd reason, she could think so much clearer when her brain was vibrating with extremely loud music. Her fingers were expertly tapping away, the streams of code flowing down her screen at an impressive pace._

 

_“-didn’t know you had it in you!”_

 

_Although familiar, the voice still startled the life out of the student as her earphones were removed by a pair of tanned hands, expensive manicure shining in the library’s fluorescent lights._

 

_“Huh?”_

 

_Valerie sat down at the desk next to her, although completely ignoring the device atop of it. “The music! You know, that DJ is playing at Pandemonium this weekend!”_

 

_Yue couldn’t help her jaw dropping. “No way. All the way from Brazil!? I’ve been to every VR concert, but never even dreamt of seeing them live…!”_

 

_The journalist major was caught by surprise when the girl beamed at her. That was the first time she had ever seen Yue show any emotion, let alone smile. It was so enthralling, she could stare at her forever. The endless ebony river flowing from her head, those two beady onyx eyes that stored all the mysteries of the world; even if her beauty was always hidden by the extremely plain outfits, Valerie undoubtedly saw the Chinese goddess of all creation when she laid her eyes on Yue._

 

_“Valerie?”_

 

 _At the sound of her name escaping the other’s lips, her heart skipped a beat. “Val is fine. So, you coming or what?”_ __  
  
Yue’s eyes widened. “T-To the party? No, no, I’m really not the party type.” Despite her stuttering and hesitation, it was obvious that she was extremely excited to see one of her favourite musicians, a chance that might never present itself again.

 

_Miss Hale smirked all-knowingly, threading her sharp nails through her hair. “Oh, come on! Shy girls like you always turn out to be total animals. I’ll do you one better - come to my room on Saturday morning and we’ll get you ready.”_

 

_“No way, I can’t impose-” “No takebacks! And bring your sexiest underwear.”_

 

_Quite clearly, the shorter girl’s face turned beet red. “I-I don’t… have any?” The intonation more accurately translated to, ‘am I supposed to?’_

 

_Valerie huffed. “Of course you don’t…  What am I going to do with you? “ Her short skirt attracted the attention of the neighboring guys, quietly trailing their eyes after her as she got up and threw her luxury bag over her shoulder. “Just be there. I’ll take care of you.” With a wink, she was off, her heels clacking away._

 

_Yue twisted the edges of her long sleeves, a smile ghosting over her lips, chest bubbling with unfamiliar feelings. Was that what people called… friendship?_

 

x

 

“You did very well today, Miss Jiang. Thank you for sharing this with me.”

 

Yue sat up from the therapist’s lounge chair, avoiding her gaze. “Thank you for listening.”

 

“That’s why I’m here.”

 

Although a stranger, the older woman’s expression seemed genuine, easing the girl’s fear of interacting with her and opening up. Her only previous experience with a therapist had been nothing short of unpleasant, but as soon as she started talking about her times with Valerie, the memories rolled off her tongue and filled her with warm nostalgia. 

It was funny and ironic at the same time that Valerie now couldn’t care less if she was alive or dead, but to Yue, she was her road to crawling out of the darkness. Her rehabilitation.

 

-

 

Connor was browsing through the deviant files again, in the hopes of discovering a new lead, when he received an update on their current case. Fowler and Anderson’s roaring voices escaped the Captain’s office for a moment before they both died away in the wake of a heavy slam, causing the other policemen to muse over the lifespan of the constantly-abused glass door.

 

“The weather is pleasant today, considerably warmer than the past week, although the humidity is also higher. Will that affect your hairstyle?”

 

To nobody’s surprise, Hank wasn’t in the mood for the forecast. Without so much as a glance towards the android, he dashed past and stomped out of the precinct. Not taking a hint, Connor loyally followed after him, halting by the side of the Lieutenant’s car as the human got in.

 

“Where are we going?”

 

“We ain’t goin’ anywhere. Fuck off, I’m gonna get drunk.”

 

RK-800 rolled his shoulders into a dismissive shrug. “I understand. If you need me, I will be investigating the recent sightings of an AP-400 model with green eyes and red hair downtown.”

 

Hank’s hand paused mid-air as he was reaching to turn the keys and start the engine. He closed his eyes, took in a considerable amount of oxygen, then slowly exhaled it with an added rasp. Connor feigned turning away, prompting the human to interject. “Get in the damn car already.”

 

x

 

As much as it puzzled both of the detectives, only one of which could see the blue droplets, Bella’s trail seemed to end abruptly in an abandoned car park. The bandage Hank had carefully wrapped around her hand was now caught in the jagged wires of the fence, soaked with invisible liquid. 

 

There was a rustling sound coming from behind one of the cars, and the human instinctively pulled out his weapon; however, it soon became obvious that the threat was nothing more than youthful hooligans looking for spare parts to sell. “Oh, look at that! A popo and his tin can!” Both of the boys snickered at each-other, pointing towards the DPD duo. They were looking for trouble too, it seemed.

 

“We are searching for a female Android that escaped custody this morning. Long hair, British accent. Any traces of the thirium it lost end here.”

 

As programmed, Connor remained factually cold and attempted to curtly resolve the conflict, but it wasn’t going to go his way. The two petty criminals did quite possibly the dumbest thing they could - they pissed Hank off. “What, that sex bot? Yeah, she was struttin’ around here, ass and titties out, so we both had a go! Gotta say, so much better than the real thing!” “Dude, remember it trying to get away? What’s up with that? Thought they knew they were nothing but slaves.”

 

The reciprocal pats on the back and obscene gestures with their hands were the last drop to fill Anderson’s very full glass. RK-800 could have reacted, but chose to watch the Lieutenant instead as he trudged over to the loudmouths. He had been on the receiving end of his superior’s anger issues before, making the following scene even more of a treat.

 

“Is that so?” The older man pitched his voice sarcastically, mere seconds before his fist collided with a jaw, causing an awful cracking noise to erupt, followed by groans of pain. “What the fuck, you crazy old geezer! You can’t do this shit!”

 

Hank grabbed the other boy’s collar, lifting him up in the air, so his feet were hovering helplessly. “Yeah? What are you gonna do, call the cops?” Without waiting for an answer, he shoved the second culprit and landed a well-placed sucker punch that broke his nose, blood gushing in an instant. He turned around and whipped his hand to the side in order to get rid of the redness that had spilled over his knuckles, not even bothering to throw them a side-eye of pity. They were both on the floor, grabbing their faces in pain, visibly swollen and bruised.

 

“Th-This is police brutality!” “Yeah, we gonna send a letter!”

 

Cracking his knuckles, the Lieutenant turned around graciously, holstering his gun. “What the hell, I’ll give you a hand! You write your letter, jackass. I’ll even fold it for ya, so I can stick it up your fucking ass!” Simply the rise in his voice made the two boys wince and shake like leaves in the wind, looking at each other, then back to Hank, shaking their heads vigorously.

 

“Now scram, before I decide which bones to break next.”

 

In the midst of the hooligans scrambling for an escape, Connor walked up to Hank, his arms pulled elegantly behind his back.

 

“It bothers you, what they did to it.”

 

More of a statement than a question, but still quizzical in essence. He couldn’t withhold the pattern of narrowing his eyes and creasing his brows. “I thought you detest all androids.”

 

“I do” was the only stern reply he got, before they both returned to the car, riding in silence back to the station. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayyy I'm terrible at trying to write consistently! Yass! Will still try to get back to regular posting but I won't make any promises. 
> 
> This chapter took a while to write. I hope all the different scenes aren't too confusing together. Any section in italics is a flashback. The dividers are x between different scenes in the same setting and - for switching to a completely different setting. Also, I am fangirling at their texts. Just me? Ok...
> 
> The introduction is (mostly?) almost over! Starting with the next three chapters, we will be getting into the real action. The s a u c e. Buckle up! Please leave a comment if you enjoyed and let me know your thoughts! <3 Thank you for reading!
> 
> PS: I made Yue in Sims 4 and edited a pic of her. https://imgur.com/f1JokVU I will make Bella for the next chapter!


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